A decades-long study published Friday reveals that efforts to prevent child deaths in the United States have fallen significantly behind other wealthy nations. The research, led by the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, shows that U.S. child deaths from any cause declined at an 8 percent lower rate than deaths in 13 other high-income countries over the past 50 years.
Alarming Statistics
From 1935 to 2023, America's child deaths dropped by 89 percent, compared to a 96.6 percent reduction in the other nations. The study also found that there have been 800,000 preventable child deaths in the U.S. during that period, an increase of 200,000 from a previous study in 2018.
Gun violence and self-harm are partly behind this dire statistic, according to the researchers. Teenage boys aged 15-19 account for nearly a third of these deaths.
Key Findings
Lauren Koenigsberg, lead author of the study, stated: "We found that the U.S. child mortality disadvantage has persisted for decades and is now increasingly concentrated among older adolescents, particularly males. These findings highlight an urgent need to address preventable causes of death - especially injury, violence and self-harm - where the U.S. continues to lag behind peer nations."
The U.S., the wealthiest country in the world, has one of the highest rates of child deaths due to gun violence. According to the non-profit Sandy Hook Promise, there are 12 child deaths each day from shootings. The majority of victims are boys, and past research shows that boys are more likely to use guns than girls. The number of school shootings has increased twelvefold since 1969, and a 2024 report from the American College of Surgeons indicates that it is now four times more likely for children to be school shooting victims.
Mental Health Crisis
The mental wellbeing of American children has also deteriorated. A nationwide study published last July found that more children have reported feeling lonely, sad, having trouble sleeping, or fatigue since the early 2000s. An increasing number of children have been diagnosed with anxiety and depression, according to UCLA Health. Children living with depression and anxiety are more likely to harm themselves.
The number of pediatric suicide cases seen in emergency rooms increased by 168 percent between 2016 and 2021, as found by the Children's Hospital Association.
If you are based in the U.S. and need mental health assistance, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This free, confidential crisis hotline is available 24/7. If you are in another country, you can go to befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.
